Whiskey Review Round Up: Rock Town Rye Whiskeys

a slight rubbery, chemical note opens the palate, followed by stronger spice, darker fruit notes like blackberry, and some wood. Fairly light on the palate. Score: 83 Tasting Notes: Single Barrel Reserve Rye Color: Deep red-brown, like black tea Nose: A fairly strong rubber/ink note is the first thing I notice, followed by banana chips, maple syrup, and honey Palate: A chemical note again opens the palate. Neat, it’s followed by strong wood, and some spice. With some water, the woodiness is, unsurprisingly, lighter, and I get more maple syrup, along with apricot and butter. A little drying, and not as heavy as I’d expect based on the color. Score: 82 Final Thoughts: Despite the “reserve” designation, I found I actually like the Arkansas Rye a little better than the single-barrel version. Though neither has a particularly strong rye character, the single barrel still tastes noticeably raw. I’d be interested to try the more recent bottling, from barrel 39, which the distillery told me is comparatively spicier. In any case, both of these ryes are decent, but nothing to write home about.